Tryon Palace

Tryon Palace was the official residence and administrative headquarters of the British governors of North Carolina from 1770 to 1775, at which time it was known as the Governor's Palace. Located in New Bern, the palace was often at the center of state occasions and royal hospitality. The residence was seized by rebel troops in 1775. Shortly after the state capital was relocated to Raleigh in 1792, the main building burned to the ground. A modern recreation faithful to the original architect's plans and some period appropriate support structures were erected on the site in the 1950s and opened to the public in 1959. The palace garden was also recreated, with 16 acres of plantings, representing three centuries of landscape and gardening heritage. Today, the palace is a state historic site.
William Tryon was a British officer and colonial official who served as the Governor of North-Carolina from 1765 to 1771. Tryon had seen the need for a centrally-located Government House while lieutenant governor. After assuming office Governor Tryon worked with architect John Hawks to draw up plans for a government house similar to other British colonial structures of the time. In December 1766, the North Carolina legislature authorized £5,000 for the building of an "Edifice".

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